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TRANSPARENCYINTERNATIONAL

the global coalition against corruption

Corruption is one o the main risks to citizen security in theAmericas. Corruption intereres with the orderly unctioningo the democratic institutions that were established tosecure peace and the ree exercise o citizens rights,such as the police orces, prosecutors ofce and publicministries, judicial system, intelligence agencies, militaryorces and the regulators o private security orces.

In the Americas, vulnerable political and institutional systemscoexist with high levels o impunity. These actors can leadto state capture by criminal groups and undermine thecapacity o states to develop ar-reaching public policieswhich can prevent violence and guarantee citizen security.

We strongly believe that living conditions and citizensecurity in the Americas will improve with the implementationo measures that seek to increase transparency, accessto inormation and accountability by all state entitiesresponsible or guaranteeing citizen rights, as well as withinitiatives aimed at ensuring actual participation o civilsociety in the fght against corruption in their countriesand within the Organization o American States (OAS).

Transparency International (TI) hereby presentsrecommendations to be included by States Parties inthe Declaration o the 2010 General Assembly and as

part o thematic resolutions related to the fght againstcorruption. TI and the 17 organisations that it works withthroughout the region, hopes that its recommendations willcontribute to the debate and progress towards a regionree o corruption.

I. DECLARATION OF SAN SALVADOR:

CITIZEN SECURITY IN THE AMERICAS

1. The OAS should adopt eective mechanisms topromote accountability and transparency in citizen securityprogrammes, police orce administration and prisonsystems.

2. The OAS should promote processes aimed at enhancingthe integrity o security orces and other public ofcials.

3. The OAS should promote transparency within theinstitutions responsible or the design, execution and

monitoring o government programmes on citizensecurity, ensuring citizen participation and the eectiveimplementation o such programmes.

4. The OAS should promote the fght against corruptionwithin the institutions entrusted with overseeing citizensecurity and respect or civil rights.

CITIZEN SECURITY INTHE AMERICAS

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEOAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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II. PLAN OF ACTION OF SAN SALVADOR:CITIZEN SECURITY IN THE AMERICAS

1. The OAS should encourage increased proessionalismamong members o the security orces by establishingimproved systems o evaluation and perormance orpersonnel.

2. The OAS should promote ongoing training opportunitiesor the members o the security bodies and ensure betteremployment conditions and salaries.

3. The OAS should establish the fght against corruptionand transparency as the centrepiece o programmes orthe security orces.

4. The OAS should promote the introduction o eectiveinternal control mechanisms in the security orces which

can ensure the integrity o ofcials.

III. STRENGTHENING GOOD GOVERNANCEAND TRANSPARENCY

Mechanism for Follow-up on the Implementationof the Inter-American Convention againstCorruption MESICIC

1. The Committee o Experts should ensure that on-sitevisits are conducted during the Fourth Round o Review othe Inter-American Convention against Corruption (IACAC),as agreed at the Third Conerence o States Parties to theMESICIC, and should encourage all States to participate.

2.The States Parties to the MESICIC must demand thedefnition o a clear profle or experts, who should havehigh technical expertise and sufcient independence tobe in a position to make recommendations to the Statesabout the implementation o the IACAC.

3. States Parties should publish action plans and annualprogress reports on the recommendations issued to them

by the Committee o Experts, and civil society shouldparticipate in the preparation o such plans.

4. The States Parties should accept national progressreports on the implementation o the IACAC submitted bycivil society organisations.

5. States Parties should institutionalise opportunities orcivil society organisations to participate at meetings othe Committee o Experts, and CSOs should serve aspermanent observers o the Committees work.

6. States Parties should make fnancial resources availableto civil society organisations so that they can continue theirnecessary and meaningul engagement in the MESICIC,in terms o technical training, preparation o reports andattendance at the Committees meeting.

7. The MESICIC Secretariat should agree with the StatesParties a set o indicators to help States assess the degreeo compliance with the IACAC based on the availability oincreased levels o hard and objective inormation.

8. The MESICIC Secretariat should systematise anddisseminate tools o best practices to assist in theimplementation o the IACAC, especially or the protectiono whistleblowers and victims o corruption.

9. We call on Barbados to ratiy the IACAC and weencourage Dominica and Saint Lucia to join the MESICIC.

Access to public information

1. The OAS should develop an internal policy regulatingaccess to public inormation held by the organisation,which should be consistent with the standards ollowed byother multilateral organisations.

IV. STRENGTHENING THE PARTICIPATIONOF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE OAS ACTIVITIES

1. The OAS should adopt the New Strategy orStrengthening the Participation o Civil Society, in orderto ensure more inclusive and eective participation o civilsociety organisations in its activities.

2. The OAS should eliminate all restrictions to civil societyparticipation, such as the right o States to veto theregistration o organisations in the OAS registry o civilsociety organisations. Since 2009, several civil societyorganisations have been vetoed without justifcation.

3. The OAS should eliminate the restriction on civilsociety participation in the Mechanism or Follow-up on

the Implementation o the Inter-American Conventionagainst Corruption, by amending article 34 o the Rules oProcedure o the Committee o Experts.

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www.transparency.org/americas/conventions2011 Transparency International. All rights reserved

Photograph: istockphoto.com/james steidl

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL IN THE AMERICAS

ARGENTINA Poder Ciudadano www.poderciudadano.org

BOLIVIA Transparencia Bolivia www.transparenciabolivia.org

BRAZIL Amarribo www.aCANADA Transparency International Canada www.transparency.ca

CHILE Chile Transparente www.chiletransparente.org

COLOMBIA Transparencia por Colombia www.transparenciacolombia.org.co

USA Transparency International USA www.transparency-usa.org

EL SALVADOR Funde www.unde.org

GUATEMALA Accin Ciudadana www.accionciudadana.org.gt

MEXICO Transparencia Mexicana www.tm.org.mxNICARAGUA tica y Transparencia www.eyt.org.ni

PANAMA Fundacin para la Libertad Ciudadana www.libertadciudadana.org

PERU Protica www.proetica.org.pe

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Participacin Ciudadana www.pciudadana.org

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO The Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute www.transparency.org.tt

URUGUAY Uruguay Transparente www.uruguaytransparente.org.uy

VENEZUELA Transparencia Venezuela www.transparencia.org.ve

TI also works actively with civil society organisations in countries where it has no ormal partners.

For more details visit www.transparency.org/americas/conventions

or contact the regional conventions team at the TI Secretariat:

Ximena Salazar

Senior Advisor

xsalazar@transparency.org

Marta Erquicia

Senior Programme Coordinator

merquicia@transparency.org